Patents by Inventor Randy Stevenson
Randy Stevenson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9698706Abstract: An electro-hydrodynamic system including an energy harvester and an adjustable member, wherein the energy harvester includes a charge source including: an injector configured to emit particles into a wind stream and an electrode configured to charge the particles to a first polarity and to generate a first electric field. The adjustable member supports the energy harvester, and is configured to control a distance between electrical ground and at least one component of the energy harvester. A method for controlling the electric field magnitude of an electro-hydrodynamic system including placing an energy harvester comprising a charge source at a distance away from electrical ground, the distance being an equilibrium distance; receiving a first measurement of a parameter indicative of electric field magnitude near the charge source; and in response to the first measurement surpassing a threshold, increasing the distance between the energy harvester and electrical ground.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2013Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Accio Energy, Inc.Inventors: Dawn White, Randy Stevenson
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Publication number: 20170133955Abstract: An electro-hydrodynamic system including an energy harvester and an adjustable member, wherein the energy harvester includes a charge source including: an injector configured to emit particles into a wind stream and an electrode configured to charge the particles to a first polarity and to generate a first electric field. The adjustable member supports the energy harvester, and is configured to control a distance between electrical ground and at least one component of the energy harvester. A method for controlling the electric field magnitude of an electro-hydrodynamic system including placing an energy harvester comprising a charge source at a distance away from electrical ground, the distance being an equilibrium distance; receiving a first measurement of a parameter indicative of electric field magnitude near the charge source; and in response to the first measurement surpassing a threshold, increasing the distance between the energy harvester and electrical ground.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2013Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: Accio Energy, Inc.Inventors: Dawn White, Randy Stevenson
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Publication number: 20160149519Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic system configured to harvest electrical energy from a wind stream flowing along a wind vector, including: a charged droplet generator configured to generate a first electric field, the charged droplet generator including: a manifold, a plurality of channels extending through the manifold thickness along a downstream face of the manifold, and a field shaper configured to generate a substantially uniform charging field proximal the plurality of channels that charges the droplets to a single polarity, wherein the first electric field opposes charged droplet movement along the wind vector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Randy Stevenson, Dawn White, Joseph McElroy, Francis Mills, Mike Bosserman, Vladimir Orlyanchik
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Publication number: 20130313942Abstract: An electro-hydrodynamic system including an energy harvester and an adjustable member, wherein the energy harvester includes a charge source including: an injector configured to emit particles into a wind stream and an electrode configured to charge the particles to a first polarity and to generate a first electric field. The adjustable member supports the energy harvester, and is configured to control a distance between electrical ground and at least one component of the energy harvester. A method for controlling the electric field magnitude of an electro-hydrodynamic system including placing an energy harvester comprising a charge source at a distance away from electrical ground, the distance being an equilibrium distance; receiving a first measurement of a parameter indicative of electric field magnitude near the charge source; and in response to the first measurement surpassing a threshold, increasing the distance between the energy harvester and electrical ground.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: Accio Energy, Inc.Inventors: Dawn White, Randy Stevenson
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Patent number: 8502507Abstract: An electro-hydrodynamic system including an energy harvester and an adjustable member, wherein the energy harvester includes a charge source including: an injector configured to emit particles into a wind stream and an electrode configured to charge the particles to a first polarity and to generate a first electric field. The adjustable member supports the energy harvester, and is configured to control a distance between electrical ground and at least one component of the energy harvester. A method for controlling the electric field magnitude of an electro-hydrodynamic system including placing an energy harvester comprising a charge source at a distance away from electrical ground, the distance being an equilibrium distance; receiving a first measurement of a parameter indicative of electric field magnitude near the charge source; and in response to the first measurement surpassing a threshold, increasing the distance between the energy harvester and electrical ground.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Accio Energy, Inc.Inventors: Dawn White, Randy Stevenson
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Patent number: 6753619Abstract: The present invention includes a novel regenerative energy management system having a flywheel assembly with an integrated motor-generator which is coupled to a drivetrain motor-generator. The coupling between the flywheel assembly and the drivetrain motor-generator includes a system controller having integrated voltage control and inverters. The flywheel of the present invention avoids the use of expensive bearings, vacuum systems, cooling systems, and other such support subsystems found in other high technology flywheels. The integration of the flywheel-motor-generator system saves valuable space within the vehicle, reduces the number of bearings necessary for operation, and simplifies the coupling of the flywheel motor generator to the flywheel. The system controller has integrated inverters and voltage control that determine the direction and flow of current between the flywheel assembly and the driveline motor-generator.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2002Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Randy Stevenson, Zhesheng Li, Carl Klaes, Mahmoud Abdel-haq
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Publication number: 20040026927Abstract: The present invention includes a novel regenerative energy management system having a flywheel assembly with an integrated motor-generator which is coupled to a drivetrain motor-generator. The coupling between the flywheel assembly and the drivetrain motor-generator includes a system controller having integrated voltage control and inverters. The flywheel of the present invention avoids the use of expensive bearings, vacuum systems, cooling systems, and other such support subsystems found in other high technology flywheels. The integration of the flywheel-motor-generator system saves valuable space within the vehicle, reduces the number of bearings necessary for operation, and simplifies the coupling of the flywheel motor generator to the flywheel. The system controller has integrated inverters and voltage control that determine the direction and flow of current between the flywheel assembly and the driveline motor-generator.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2002Publication date: February 12, 2004Inventors: Randy Stevenson, Zhesheng Li, Carl Klaes, Mahmoud Abdel-haq